Protecting the heart of a killing machine
by Hexed-honey
Summary: After returning home from Xing I fell into a whirlwind of events all involving a certain prince who turned into our ruler. If I had thought guarding his life as a prince was hard then I would have been in for a world of trouble. But in my mind it was all part of my job. My job to protect him. This is the story of how I, Lan Fan, the killing machine fell in love with Ling Yao.
1. Chapter 1

**Protecting the heart of a killing machine**

**Chapter 1**

Life. It could be cruel and painful. And it could also be over in a minute. I thought this as I watched as the squirrel past my site from where I was crouched in the midst of the long grass. It's soft red fur, catching the sunlight, didn't better its chances of surviving the rest of the day. Not when squirrels had become Ling's newest favourite meal.

I quickly threw my kunai at the small creature and watched as it got caught in the head. Right between the creature's eyes. I walked over and collected its body as a prize for my early wake up for my emperor. I quickly began running back to the empire that was the palace of Xing. The palace it's self was huge. It was stationed in the heart of Xing with the fifty clans surrounding it. In 1917 the previous Xing emperor died and left the throne to his 12th son Ling Yao, the Yao clan's beloved prince. Moving swiftly through the cobbled streets of the capital I ran past streets of schools, shops and markets. It was once a place where I had only visited once, maybe twice, a year with my grandfather before I had travelled to Amestris with my lord and grandfather, Fu. Now I am to call this place home. It became customary after Ling moved into the palace that his trusted bodyguard followed.

I pulled my mask above my face as I got nearer to my destination. It was only a rumour that Ling's bodyguard was a female, in the castle with only few members of the servants that served Emperor Yao knowing the truth behind the mask. This was more people than I would have liked but due to maids not knocking before they entered rooms my gender became knowledge for them as well. I entered the gates with 3 squirrels swinging from my white belt and one in my hand. I easily scaled the gates before they even began to move and fled for the kitchen. I dropped them off through the kitchen's window and heard the kitchen staff commenting on my fresh deposits.

"So I guess we're cooking squirrels today" I faintly heard the head chef say. Ling will be in for a treat.

I knew all too well that I was receiving daggers from behind as they were once again being showed up by a simple bodyguard of their ruler. I was trying to be modest though. I never wanted to cause this effect. It's only because of Ling's liking of wild squirrels did I actually go and hunt them.

As I continued to run I ran past in the courtyard near mine and Ling's rooms. Two fish lived there in the courtyard, two fish that I liked to watch when I had the chance to take a peaceful moment's rest. But that moment was not one of those times. I then continued to run and jumped into a window to get to my room before my Lord woke up. I never want to miss a moment of Ling's life because I wasn't at his side.

Protecting him.

I had to remind myself that.

I took in my surroundings and noticed them as odd. It only took me a moment to realise that I had jumped through the wrong window. It wasn't the different colours on the walls or the extravagant size of the place that gave it away that this was not where I should be. It was the pile of clothes and the naked young lord that lay in his bed, blanket barely covering places my eyes had never seen before. I felt myself blush majorly behind my mask and was thankful that Ling was still asleep. I looked at him.

A smile on his face meant he was having a good dream. I remembered seeing him frown sometimes when we used to camp out in Amestris. Sometimes he'd even wake up sad which was very rare for the young lord. He rarely ever frowned. And his arms tightly wrapped around that pillow meant...I stopped my trail of thought. I wondered how long it would take the young lord to start thinking about girls again after he finally came to the throne. I guessed it would take longer but not because Ling couldn't get a girl. He could get any girl. Rich. Poor. Anyone of them would be lucky to have him. I'm just lucky to be in his presence.

Whilst I was getting caught up in thought I suddenly noticed Ling starting to stir in his sleep, turning and pushing the pillow away revealing his toned chest. I quickly fled to the window. With only half of my body remaining in his room, I quickly looked back to see him rub his eyes. I then slung my body around and jumped though my own window and fell on to my bed. I removed my mask and sighed in relief. I laid there until I heard a knock on the wall from the other side. A smile emerged on my face as I got up and knocked in return on the wall. I went back to the window and propped myself up out of the window. There smiling back was my lord, Ling Yao.

"Morning! I thought I heard you but I whilst sure if it was the maid or not" He said with his smile panted fully on his face, the sign of dribble not really noticeable but I still smiled at it.

"Morning young master" I said as I nodded in response to him.

"I'm off to breakfast and wondered if you'd like to join me?" he asked.

"Young lord, It would be a pleasure to join you" I replied to him.

"Ok see you in a bit Lan Fan, just need to get changed" he said as he smiled and waved his goodbye. "But before I go. Lan Fan, high five!" He shouted and held his hand out. I responded in smacking my hand into his and he whooped. I made him happy. That makes me happy. Before I had the chance to pull my hand away Ling slotted his fingers between mine and made it look as though we were holding hands. "Your hands have got softer Lan Fan" he said making me blush in his prescence. But before I could cherrish this moment he un-ravelled them and went back to his own window and yelled "See you in a minute!"

After hearing those words I returned back into my room. I looked in the mirror. Facing me was a dark haired eighteen year old girl with black orbs for eyes in a suit that remained too baggy for her body. Baggy was good though. It hid my gender that was obvious if clothes were skin tight. I never really took my looks into consideration. They were just natural. I've never wanted to change them, not essentially. I have never wanted to turn into something that made other girls envious. That would just get in the way of my job. Besides my closeness to Ling was already enough to make people hate me. Why would I need more?

"You look beautiful Lan Fan" a voice said. I turned immediatly and seen Ling standing in my doorway. Does no one in this palace knock before they enter?!

"Young Lord!" I said trying to hide that I was caught off guard and put my mask over my face. I watched as he came closer to me and watched as the light emerged brighter as he pulled the mask off my face.

"Lan Fan I learnt a thing or two from greed from his time in my body. What I should do and what I shouldn't. But most importantly I learnt two things." he said as he twizzled a lost hair from my hair bun. "Now I don't lie. You really are beautiful Lan Fan" He said as he stood taller than me. His presence so close to my body made my face red. I tried to fight back the emotions but his face so close made it impossible. "And the other was-" he got cut off when a maid who had came through the same doorway coughed loudly. We both parted quickly from each other and I put my mask back on.

"So breakfast?"

I nodded and followed him out past the maid who's eyes followed us, I could feel them especially on me.

That night in the castle I had a nightmare. In it there was blood splattered streets, death seemed to pry at every corner and a child, a girl I had once known, lay dead in the streets. Fire seemed to dash from one building to another; people's homes, businesses and lives were being burnt to the ground. It was as if I could feel all the pain aching from the country itself. I looked around and seen that I could in fact recognise the place, it's layout was familiar but it couldn't be. It was my home. The Yao clan. And the worst part was that above it all was my master, Ling, the one in charge of the horror. I felt like screaming.

"Lan Fan!" A voice shouted at me as I woke from the darkness. My eyes opened to see Ling hovering over me, his eyes open in shock. Little did I know that tears were actually falling from my dark eyes.

"My Lord?" I asked as he picked me up, it was then that I noticed that I had fallen out of bed. But that wasn't the thing I was worried about. "Why are you in my room?" I asked quietly as he put me down on my small bed and he then sat on the edge of it, facing me.

"You were screaming, Lan Fan. It sounded as though you were in pain" He replied as his eyes diverted from mine. I hoped I didn't wake him, but of course I knew the answer was that I had.

"I'm sorry I woke-"

"What was it about? I know you were having a nightmare" He confronted quickly to me.

"It was… nothing… just a bad dream my Lord" I said as I got up to face him. He looked at me and as he did so I followed the same observation. One arm was shivering and had a layer of goosebumps and one arm missing, replaced by a automail one. How pathetic I must have looked to him. He moved closer to me and leant forward and kissed me on the forehead. I now allowed myself to blush as he did this but I didn't stop him. He then looked into my eyes and gave a weak smile.

"Ok Lan Fan" He said as he got a hold of my automail hand and held it close to him. I felt as though I was going to burst into tears yet again. But I couldn't. Not in front of my ruler. So I decided to try a smile.

Just as I began to return his smile he leant back in and kissed me on the lips. My head was spinning madly and I timidly kissed him back. This shocked him but he continued in pleasure. After precious moments had left us we parted a little and stared at each, our noses still touching and our foreheads together. "Lan Fan I think I will have to stay in your room tonight, in case you have any more nightmares"

My eyes went huge which made Ling laugh to himself. "But my lord, it wouldn't be right and-" I started till Ling's lips met mine he was good at kissing. His lips were soft and I'd be dammed if this was his first kiss. I shuttered. It probably wasn't. But this kiss lasted longer than the first one. It was sweeter.

We parted and Ling breathed out the words "-it's… nothing… to be worried… about. I will be returning the favours that you have done for me all your life, by guarding you for once"


	2. Chapter 2

**Protecting the heart of a killing machine**

**Chapter 2**

I have never been able to sleep well. I never had done and I thought never could but with Ling's strong arms wrapped loosely around me it almost felt as though sleep could consume me. Almost. I was still half awake as I listened to Ling's snoring change into breathing. I felt the strong arms un-tangle from my body and felt the kiss on my forehead before all the warmth beside me had left. As soon as it was gone I began to crave it more.

No. I can't do that. I'm his bodyguard, it's forbidden.

I rolled over to where the prince had laid his head for the night and inhaled. The smell of wood and pine filled me and I let a smile emerge. It was like he left his scent on my bed and with that laid a small part of his soul for me to enjoy.

I rose from bed, after a few moments of bliss, to get changed into my usual bodyguard wear. Nobody could know about this night I had with Ling. As I was thinking it my cheeks went red. If rumours about this should occur then all Ling's hopes in getting a 'decent' wife from one of the clans will be reduced greatly. Sleeping with a bodyguard is not a great idea to win over any girl. My face went crimson.

Ling didn't sleep with me. No. That implied that…I stopped my trial of thought as my face threatened to get hotter. Nothing should be mentioned in the castle walls that could threaten Ling's chances. Especially with the annual ball coming up.

The annual ball was for the emperor to meet new and old allies and learn how each of the clans were doing with some of the most important people in Xing. It was also a chance for each of the female representatives from the clans to show themselves as suitable mates and wives for Ling. The thought of Ling finding a woman to spend the rest of his life with there... it was almost un-bearable. I smiled and pretended that I didn't care but inside it was like my heart was about to start a riot.

I watched him. He hacked and slashed through every dummy that was placed before him. I watched his muscles flex as he used two swords in each hand and decapitated the figure before him. The head rolled towards my feet through the grass that lay outside the castle. The location where I had murdered that squirrel.

Murder. Sounds so much crueller than killed.

My lord walked towards me and still remained that smile on his face. That goofy smile. The one that had caused people to doubt his captivity to be able to rule the Xing nation. All those people. He was now proving them wrong.

"Hey, Lan Fan why don't you join in?" He asked playfully, challenge in his voice. This reminded me of all the battles we would play when we were kids. Before I knew he was the prince I was meant to be saving.

It was a hot summer's day in Xing and it was the day after my 5th birthday. Unlike most 5 year old girls who received dolls and hair pieces on their birthdays I had received a sword wrapped neatly in silk like paper. It was so soft for paper and felt almost like fabric but tore just as easily as paper would. My grandfather Fu had given me it for me to learn to fight at an early age. It looked so shiny that I couldn't help but fall in love with it.

"Now remember you are not to hurt anyone right now. You are still learning. And you will keep learning till you become the perfect bodyguard for the Yao prince. Do you understand?" my grandfather said sternly as he watched me examine the present.

"Of course grandfather" I replied sternly.

I looked up into his gaze and made sure to keep our eyes in contact till he said "Good. Now you may go off and practise if you remember to not cause any one of the clan any harm."

"I promise." And with that I was off into my town's streets looking for trees to attack and flowers to chop heads off. It wasn't long till I ran into the woods with my sword in hand like a tiny mass murder. Of plants. I was running around whacking my sword into trees, barely making a mark till I came across a tree that took my liking. I was tall and had something lying in it. I wanted it, whatever it was, to prove my day's haunting was not in vain. I started hacking at it with all my might until I heard a noise coming from the tree.

"Hey, what you doing?" I looked up to see a young boy sitting in the tree looking down at me. His hair longer than mine and tied up, his clothes were much better and he wore a worried smile on his face. "What did the tree ever do to you?" He joked.

"I am trying out my new sword. I need to learn how to use it." I replied, my high pitch voice matching his tone. He jumped down from where he was sitting and landed next to me.

"Why don't you fight me then to learn how to properly fight?" he asked as he got a sword out from behind him and held it out. We were around the same height with me having the advantage. And that advantage was all I needed to feel confident.

"Ok" I said as I jumped back. He charged towards me and I blocked it and whacked him in the thigh with it, not leaving a scratch. I then aimed for his stomach but he easily blocked it and with a swish he was behind me, sword to throat.

"Want to give up now?" He asked whilst smirking from behind me. I brought up my sword and caught cut his hand with it. I did not injure him too much, just enough to worry him and for him to tend to his wound. I then turned around quickly and tripped him over and watched him fall to the floor. With my sword held to his chest he was pinned.

"I win" I said with a small smile emerging.

"Good job" he said, his hand still bleeding. I noticed this and took my sword away quickly. I threw it aside and ripped part of my shirt off. I took a hold of his hand and wrapped it gently around where the blood had flowed from. I felt bad. Before I knew it I had started to cry and the boy looked at me in astonishment. "Hey, hey, why are you crying? I'm the one who is injured."

"I wasn't supposed to hurt any one. I made a promise. But now I've broken it. I don't know how I'll face my grandfather." The boy had looked at me with sympathy and wrapped his arms around me and before I knew it he was hugging me.

"I don't think swords are your thing, you know. I think you're meant to be good at something else."

I looked up. "But I'm meant to protect the prince. I'm meant to be able to fight."

"Maybe you should try smaller versions of swords…what are they called?... Kunai I think. Yeah. Kunai. Why don't you try those? The recent bodyguard uses them to fight."

"Kunai." I muttered as I thought to myself. Well it would make sense. I couldn't handle the weight of the sword and I was very clumsy with it. It would probably be the best option.

"Anyway I think you'll make a great body guard. What's your name?" He asked with a smile implanted between his cheeks. I smiled back.

"My name is Lan Fan"

"Nice name. My name's Ling" he said and then we put our hands together and bowed to one another. This was the way we paid respect in Xing. Our customs. He never told me his second name until the day when my grandfather finally introduced me to the Yao family. We were both 8 years old and I was finally finding out who Ling actually was. He was the boy who I fought with and made friends with in the park. He was my only friend. And today that fact still rings true.

I got out my kunai and we battled. Him using his sword and me using kunai and my automail arm as my weapons. We fought together, barely inflicting any damage among the other and moving in perfect time. To others who passed it must have looked like we were dancing with weapons. After a while we had started to get tired, Ling more than me. To end it all I tried to trip him but ended up in him tripping me to the floor and pinning me to the ground.

"Got you" He claimed happily whilst sweat moved down his face slowly.

"Well done my lord" I said as I tried to push him off me. But before I knew what was happening he was pressing his lips on mine and made me sweat even more then when we were fighting. What if someone should see us? What if the potential brides were here a day early? I decided the best course of action to take was to not kiss back and hope he got the message. But I found that soon as I had thought that plan of action my body had made other plans and my lips were pressed against his, determined not to push him away. In fact my body was getting hot and it was not the sun doing this. It was Ling. I forced myself to stop with much force needed for this action.

He took his lips away after that and got up from on top of me. "Hey Lan Fan, we have to go to an outfitters today for a costume for tomorrows ball. Is that alright with you?" He asked as he held a hand out.

"Yes my lord" I said as I took his hand pulled myself to my feet. I'll forget that this just happened. Besides he'll be more occupied with the girls tomorrow to even think about me. I'm just his bodyguard, a message that clearly wasn't reaching me or Ling.

I quickly looked around to make sure eyes weren't following us but managed to see a figure leave one of the castle windows. My eyes narrowed. The figure had left my window. I decided to ignore it and get on with my own tasks as bodyguard for the emperor. Could have just been that nosey maid anyway. Just a maid. I had to keep reassuring myself this.


End file.
